If one of them decides to star in a major outbreak, Ashleigh Banfield will be there in a pink biohazard suit to report on the big event. Scary stuff.

Then there's herpes. It goes about its business of infecting the human race with little or no fanfare, mainly because it isn't the serial killer that the other viruses are.

But what herpes lacks in lethal force, it makes up for in mobility. The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta estimates that at least 45 million adults carry the genital strain of the disease. And 65 percent of us are likely to have oral herpes. (If you've had a cold sore, you probably have it. That's how the virus commonly manifests itself in our bodies.)

We are a nation of herpes carriers. Worse, we're carrying a disease for which there is no cure. But there is a plan. Specifically, strategies that will help you keep herpes in hibernation, outsmart the outbreaks, and prevent the love of your life from turning into the object of your infection.

SHARING THE LOVE BUG

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1, oral herpes) is the kind you want to have, if you're forced to choose between the two; the symptoms are usually no worse than cold sores.

Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2, genital herpes), on the other hand, can result in itching and burning on your genitals, buttocks, and upper thighs; painful trips to the office urinal; and flulike symptoms. Both strains are incurable.

Now for the sinister part: Oral herpes can also be transmitted to your genitals.

How? Consider this scenario: Your girlfriend has a cold sore, or even just the invisible beginnings of one, and performs oral sex on you. Her herpes is now your herpes, albeit in a different location.

"I have witnessed an increase in the incidence of genital herpes caused by HSV-1 after oral-genital sex," says Richard Whitley, M.D., a professor of medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. And while the infection will be milder than full-fledged genital herpes, it's still no picnic. (Yes, you can catch genital herpes on your mouth after performing oral sex on a woman with HSV-2. Fortunately, it's rare.)

I have a serious drinking problem. I refuse to partake from my wife's glass.Like an otherwise normal person, I will swap spit during a kiss, since I am in love. However, imagine bottoming up an empty glass...

Shortly before lights-out, a 20-something sleep technician named Dara rigs me up with a bewilderment of wires and sensors: half a dozen electrodes on my crew-cut cranium; air-pressure gauges beside my...

Skimping on shuteye can turn you into a bleary-eyed, coffee-grubbing zombie the next morning. But snoozing for a short period of time can help reverse some bad effects of a poor night’s sleep, a new...

Hate getting your chompers cleaned? Blame your dad. You’re more likely to fear the dentist if he freaks your father out, according to researchers at the University of Madrid. They found that kids with...

It's been a fascinating few weeks for erectile dysfunction.
And no, we're not talking about recent reports that the U.S. Department of Defense spent a staggering $84.2 million on erectile dysfunction...

Your body parts are joined in ways you never imagined. For example, did you know the length of your index finger could secretly reveal your penis size? While most of these links sound strange, knowing...

You’ve heard us tout the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for years, from their ability to boost your brainpower to their knack for protecting your ticker. But what exactly are these fats, and what’s...

Feeling a bit foggy? Blame the blues: Depression can reduce your working memory by up to 12 percent, finds a new study from the University of Texas at Dallas.That means more than one in 10 pieces of important...

Full-blown diabetes is easy to spot—virtually unquenchable thirst, numbness in your hands and feet—but the symptoms leading up to the disease are easier to ignore.In fact, 37 percent of American adults...

Snoring like a chainsaw doesn’t just make your girl lose her mind—it messes with yours, too. Men with certain sleep issues are more likely to develop problems in their brains that are linked to dementia,...

To banish bacteria, give your teeth a workout: Chewing gum cleans out your mouth, finds new research from the Netherlands.In the study, participants chomped on sugar-free gum for up to 10 minutes. After...

Go ahead, celebrate your third-annual 30th birthday: In a new British study, people who considered themselves younger than their real age tended to live longer than those who reported feeling old beyond...

Just as a good training program builds you up, falling off the workout wagon can have the opposite effect—sometimes almost immediately.Experts call this phenomenon “detraining,” and its consequences...